Swimming into Autumn by guest blogger Martin

Lovely story of an autumn swim by The Danna Dooker….

There’s a strong sense of changing seasons now that we’re on the autumn side of the equinox. I had a mini-storm swim this morning amongst sunshine and squalls. Got down to the rocks and there was a tiny otter bobbing around fishing just a few metres away. I brought Dannach in very close to me, and turned her away from it so that she wouldn’t get the scent. The otter worked its way along through the turbulent water, diving and then munching on a small fish before diving for another as it progressed parallel to the shore. It was squeaking when its head was above the water as though calling for its mother. I think it got our scent briefly because it stopped and looked for a few seconds, and then continued with the fishing. Once it had gone, I got ready to go in and then saw an ominous band of grey from the south west… I quickly covered my clothes with my dryrobe and weighted everything down with the wellies on top.

As I entered the water the squall hit, so I was pleased to be in sea and away from the wet rain! I had to swim away from the wind to start with because the rain was so heavy, but once your head is down it’s another world of turquoises and greens of the moving water, with intermittent breaths of air and a glimpse of the shoreline. And then, once the rain had eased off, back again towards the waves and rolling water. Came out after the squall and managed to get changed in the dry before the next one rolled in. The dryrobe is doing well at the moment keeping my clothes dry on the shore, and it was great to be bundled up in it as I walked back to the house.

This site is about my new Anglo-Israeli, yet-to-be-published novel, Night Swimming in the Jordan. It's also about both night and day swimming in the seas and rivers of Devon, England, where I have lived for 25 years.

Wild swimming or outdoor swimming in rivers, lakes, lidos and sea is a sport that is regaining popularity in the UK. This page highlights news items that illustrate the popularity and growth of wild swimming as well as comparing attitudes in the UK with those aboard.